COUNTY NEWS: New Gatwick hangar could provide more than 100 jobs

The facility would also add engineering capacity at Gatwick as the airport continues its growth

Published:11:33Thursday 17 November 2016

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A new multi-million pound hangar at Gatwick Airport could provide more than 100 new jobs, according to plans announced today.

Boeing and London Gatwick Airport today announced proposals for a commercial aviation maintenance hangar that will serve Boeing’s European GoldCare customers.

GoldCare is a set of fleet engineering, materials and maintenance services managed by Boeing and used by more than 60 airlines worldwide.

The facility would also add engineering capacity at Gatwick to support airlines as the airport continues its growth in both short and long haul services.

The multi-million pound facility is expected to support more than 100 jobs at Boeing and its suppliers in the Gatwick area, according to Boeing.

“This is an important investment for Boeing as we commit still further to our customers in the UK and across the European region, said Mike Fleming, vice president of Fleet Services, Boeing Commercial Aviation Services.

“We look forward to working with Gatwick Airport, the local authority and regulators to support our customers in Europe through our world-class commercial aviation services business.”

Guy Stephenson, Gatwick’s chief commercial officer, said: “Since coming into independent ownership, Gatwick has achieved record levels of growth in the numbers of passengers and flights supported by more than £1.3bn of investment in infrastructure, technology and passenger facilities.

“This new partnership with Boeing will help us to ensure that we can continue to grow and support our operations – especially in our burgeoning long haul services – and provide world class facilities for our airlines.”

Gatwick Airport will complete an environmental study before the proposed plan is brought before the Local Planning Authority for review subject to approval of the plan.

Boeing would begin construction in late 2017 and open for operations in 2018.

The precise nature and location of the hangar on the Gatwick site will be announced at a later date.

What do you think of the idea? Let us know in the comments or email crawleyobserver@jpress.co.uk.